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Football With a Twist: Different scoring system to be used for today’s scrimmage

By I.C. Murrell

COMMERCIAL SPORTS EDITOR

Today, Monte Coleman will get to see his Arkansas-Pine Bluff football starters go at each other for the first half of the Black and Gold Game.

He’ll also see one of his quarterbacks try to score points for a team of a different color.

“I’m just trying to make it more of a game,” Coleman said. “I want to see the ones vs. the ones to give me the competition that I absolutely need. I don’t need to see that the whole game.”

Today’s game, which will start at 1 p.m. at Golden Lion Stadium, will conclude month-long spring drills for the defending SWAC champions. But there is a twist.

Second-string quarterback Brandon Duncan will see some action during the first half. Although he will quarterback the offense, or Gold team, Duncan is considered a Black team quarterback. Thus, if the offense scores while he is on offense, the points will go to the Black, because there is no Black team offense.

But if Duncan throws an interception and it is returned for a touchdown, the points will go to the Gold. The game will be scored traditionally when starter Ben Anderson is on the field.

Got that?

For the second half, the first string of one unit will go against the second string of the other unit, and the same scoring rules as in the first half will apply.

“I want to make it a little fun, the ones vs. the twos in the second half,” Coleman said. “I want to make it a game-type atmosphere and give the fans the ones vs. the ones so they can see how they fare against the best.”

Those in attendance today could be in for a treat, because Coleman has been impressed with the team’s ability to work hard while coming off a championship. Plus, his team has reached his primary goal of staying healthy throughout the spring.

“Sometimes, when teams are coming off a championship, teams get complacent,” Coleman said. “They’ve arrived. The coaching staff has done a great job of making sure the attitudes of the team has been consistent as it was last year. So, that’s the thing I’ve been impressed with. “The offensive line working hard, the defensive line … everybody is working hard. I’m truly impressed because the atmosphere is one of everybody saying they want to repeat. I’m not just hearing it with their mouths, I’m seeing it with their actions.”

Coleman added he’s turned up the intensity from last season and will turn it up more when preseason camp commences in August.